Spring Grove combined an explosive offense with a smothering defense, which pitched a shutout, to top rival M-C 42-6. The Cougars, who came in averaging 35.5 points per game, scored only on a kick-off return. On the Lions’ first offensive play, Caden Gerard (5-170 yards rushing) raced 73 yards to score. He also closed the point parade with a Lion record-tying 97-yard TD carry. In between, he caught a 14-yard TD pass, while amassing 221 yards of all-purpose running (rushing, receiving, returning). After Gerard’s first gallop, the Cougars answered immediately with Kale Eiken taking the ensuing kickoff 90 yards (SG 7, M-C 6). But that would be the home team’s last answer. The Lions limited Eiken, the league’s leading rusher and second-leading scorer, to only 62 yards on 20 carries. Averaging 11.9 yards per snap, SG out-gained the Cougars overall, 463 yards to 155. Dylan Halverson (18-107 yards, TD rushing; 5 of 8, 137 yards, 2 TD passing) made it 14-6 with a 47-yard quarterback sneak, passed to Gerard for a 21-6 lead and then tossed 22 yards to Sam Klug for a 28-6 lead just 36 seconds before halftime. On the third play after intermission, Ezra Konkel sped 29 yards to make it 35-6. With an 80-yard non-scoring reception, Konkel had 186 yards of all-purpose running. Ethan Rask, the league’s leading kick scorer, was 7 for 7 on extra-points. M-C, while running 45 plays, had eight minus-yardage plays and only two gains for more than 10 yards. Nolan Garness (6 of 10, 49 passing) ran for 12 yards and passed to Brevyn Tollefsrud for 29. For Grove, Klug had 17 tackles, Gerard 12, Konkel 8, Halverson 7 and Alex Gleason 6. It was the Lions’ fifth straight win after a season-opening defeat to L-O/L/P. In that streak, only Kingsland has scored more than one touchdown against the Lions in a game. They also redeemed two losses to the Cougars during M-C’s state season last year. SG is tied with week seven foe Lanesboro (5-1, 5-1) behind AC/G-E (6-0, 6-0) atop the South-East. M-C slipped to 2-4.
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